A blog on politics and education, supporting socialist ideals and equality of opportunity. Against obscene wealth and inequality.

Monday, 8 June 2015

2 letters on joke that is "one-nation" Toryism

David Cameron is correct in thinking that his
belief that it`s "not just the left who care about the poor" is not a sentiment
"widely shared outside Planet Tory" (Cameron`s goal is to suggest that it`s not
just the left who care about the poor,30/05/15). The empirical evidence,
something the Tories are noted for ignoring, is there for all to study. That`s
why Anne McElvoy is wide of the mark when stating that "scepticism... is not the
whole story when it comes to Dave`s one-nation claim". Disraeli`s plan was to
woo the working class voters, in his 1874-80 administration, with reforms
designed to improve the quality of their lives, after Gladstone`s election
defeat due largely to him basing the government on laissez-faire principles
which had the effect of increasing inequality. Strange how Cameron`s aim to
shrink the state, and take government spending back to 1930s levels, is so much
more Gladstonian, in principle, than Disraelian conservatism.

Indeed, similarities with Disraeli`s one-nation
conservatism are rare: whilst Cameron aims to curb trade unionism and make it
more difficult to strike, Disraeli passed the Conspiracy and Protection Act,
which increased unions` right to picket. Whereas Disraeli wanted to improve the
homes of the working people with his Artisans Dwellings Act, present-day Tories
allow huge tax concessions for profiteering landlords, and "reduce the country`s stock of affordable housing" (Extending right to
buy makes no sense and creates divisions,31/05/15). Disraeli`s School Attendance
Committees were designed to encourage as many children as possible to take
advantage of educational opportunities, unlike Cameron`s government which
scrapped the Education Maintenance Allowance within weeks of taking office in
2010. That same government cut staffing at its Food Standards Agency, leading to
less inspection and more risk for consumers, but Disraeli`s Sale of Food and
Drugs Act laid down stringent regulations on food preparation. Even Cameron`s
policy towards the health of the nation, with more privatisation of the NHS,
compares unfavourably with Disraeli`s Public Health Act, which laid down the
compulsory duties of local authorities, and his Factory Act which enabled
workers to participate in sports on Saturday afternoons.

"One-nation" Toryism requires "compassionate
conservatism", which seems more a product of the Tories` propaganda machine than
a plausible concept, or even a realistic prospect.

Martin Kettle urges us to "look at the whole
picture" of the Tories in power, and "take an objective view", yet fails to take
his own advice, and instead ignores the empirical evidence (A reality check -
the Tories aren`t all wicked and wrong,05/06/15). A brief study of the cruel and
callous actions of the Tory-dominated coalition, 2010-15, makes a mockery of
Cameron`s claims to want "the economy to work for everyone" and "bring people
together". Within weeks of that government`s creation, Gove had destroyed the
aspirations of thousands with his ending of the Education Maintenance Allowance,
Osborne had raised VAT, and the imposition of austerity policies especially hurt
the weakest and most vulnerable; the bedroom tax, cuts to disability allowances
and the sanctioning of thousands of benefit claimants, whilst simultaneously
cutting tax rates for the very wealthy and doing next to nothing about £35bn
annually of tax avoidance, except reducing staff at HMRC by 20,000, all suggest
“compassionate Toryism” is a figment of imagination, produced by the Tory
party`s propaganda machine. According to Cameron himself, there is even worse to
come, with £12bn welfare cuts, and government spending reduced to 1930s` levels.
He may claim to emulate Disraeli with his "one-nation" rhetoric, but his
preference for retrenchment and laissez-faire is far more
Gladstonian!

Kettle wants us to believe that there is more
to Cameron than "soundbites and wickedness", so he has clearly forgotten all
about "making work pay", lobbying being "the next big scandal", and of course,
"all in this together"!